NSW Department of Education notified Kambora Public School parents in a letter this week that the school would go into recess (temporarily close) at the end of term 4 this year.
Amber Gorrell, Director Education Leadership for The Forest Principals Network who represented the Department at an earlier consultation with the school, reasoned that the declining enrolment numbers (which have seen only 30 students enrolled at the school this term) meant it wasn’t sustainable to continue operating the school, particularly with nearby public schools as suitable alternatives.
Kambora is located one kilometre from Mimosa Public School, two and a half kilometres from Wakehurst Public School, and three and a half kilometres from Belrose Public School. According to Department of Education’s publicly available data, Kambora is the smallest (by enrolment) primary school on the Northern Beaches, closely followed by Belrose Public School (who had 175 students enrolled last year).
The decision comes after the Department held a consultation with the school community in May this year, where they confirmed to Manly Observer that no decision had been made on the future of the school. However, at the time, P&C President Lily Stewart disagreed, saying there was only one conversation the Department was interested in having at the consultation and that was putting the school into recess.
“The handling of Kambora by the Department has been catastrophic,” Ms Stewart said.
Ms Stewart is no longer the President of the P&C, having resigned for personal reasons.
“The school community has been left unsupported, families and children have suffered, and the stress inflicted is real and measurable,” she continued.
“The Director Educational Leadership, The Forest Principals Network should be held accountable for the damage caused and the suffering endured by the students and their families.”
Ms Stewart noted to Manly Observer that she hasn’t heard from Ms Gorrell, the Department’s representative at the May consultation, since the end of Term 2 despite trying to contact her.
Only a few months ago, the P&C felt they were making ground in the fight to keep their school open, notifying the school community of their plans to increase enrolment numbers. These included an on-site preschool, a tailored transition class, a dedicated Opportunity Class, outdoor classroom spaces and weekly community markets.
“The Department of Education failed to take action when the school population declined from 200 students in 2018 to 41 students in 2025,” Matt Cross, Member for Davidson, said in Parliament last week. He has been a strong advocate of the school.
“Warning signs on enrolments were ignored. Enforcing the local enrolment area was ignored. The community was ignored,” he added.
“I fear the closing of Kambora will be the first of many Sydney metropolitan schools that will be closed under the Minns Labor Government. It will be a concerning precedent for this Government to set.
“Closing a metropolitan school in Sydney is, as admitted by Department of Education officials in budget estimates in August 2025, ‘quite a rare occurrence’. That is the gravity of the situation.
“From 1995 to 2011, when Labor was previously in government, 83 schools were closed.
“I condemn Labor and the Department of Education for abandoning the students and families of the Kambora community.”
Where to from here for the Kambora families?
The Department has reassured the Kambora school community will be consulted with on an individual case basis to support their children’s continuing education at another local school.
The Relieving Principal, Mr Nicholas Johnson, and Ms Gorrell will provide further information to families on how to book an individual meeting. Information about provisions of funding for new uniforms, should students transition to another local public school, will also be communicated to families.
“Placing a school in recess means that, while the school grounds and facilities will continue to be maintained, there will be no staff or students attending the school,” Ms Gorrell wrote in the letter to parents.
“Memorabilia for Kambora Public School will be retained and cared for at Belrose Public School.
“Educational resources and equipment will be offered to schools in The Forest Principals Network initially and then to other schools as appropriate. Records will be managed in accordance with the department’s Records Management procedures.
“Should prospective local enrolments rise substantially in the future, or another education provision need be identified, the decision to place the school into recess will be reviewed, at which point the school could become operational again.”
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